


there's a new me coming out

by nicosolace



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Coming Out, Light Angst, M/M, fight me, supportive coach bittle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-07-29 10:10:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7680367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicosolace/pseuds/nicosolace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>5+1 times that Jack Zimmermann and Eric Bittle came out</p>
            </blockquote>





	there's a new me coming out

**Author's Note:**

> title is from diana ross' "i'm coming out"
> 
> and this is rated t for language bc shitty curses like a sailor and my man... my dude,,,

**1\. Alicia Zimmermann and Mr. Jack's Dad**

Bitty sucked in a deep breath as he rolled the dough out more. He was nervous to say the least, it's not everyday that your boyfriend's high-profile parents come over to dinner. Well, they do come over a lot, but tonight... tonight he and Jack are coming out. Bitty can't even think about it with feeling the anxiety bubbling up in his throat. It was really going to happen. In a few short hours, two more people would know. Two people that he would trust with his life of course but two more people would know that Jack and Bitty were dating. 

Jack walked into the kitchen, smelled dinner that was cooking in the oven and saw Bitty. The tension in his shoulders was evident so he vowed to fix that. Jack walked silently over to Bitty and wrapped his arms around the smaller man. Bitty jumped, but relaxed in Jack's embrace. 

"You okay Bittle?" Jack asked as Bitty turned away from the dough in order to face Jack, a little bit of flour on his cheeks.

Bitty sighed, "I'm just nervous. What will they say? Will they tell anyone? What if someone finds out? Oh my goodness, what if I butt-dial someone when we tell them?" Bitty's face grew redder and redder as he spilled out his concerns.

"Relax, it's going to be okay. Besides, my dad was the one that literally pushed me to make a move." Jack chuckled and Bitty just stared at him, "They won't tell anyone, Bits, so no one will find out. And concerning the butt-dial... just turn your phone off? It's seriously that easy." Jack chirped.

Bitty swatted Jack's arm and hugged him close again before letting go and going back to the pie, "How many pies are you sending with them back to Montreal?" Jack asked, as he looked at the amount that he had in the fridge.

"Um, too many." Bitty laughed as he continued to knead the dough, the doorbell rang and his tension was back. Jack ran his hand over Bitty's shoulders in order to calm him down and went to answer the door. Right as he opened it, he was enveloped into a giant bear hug by his mother and he saw his father head to the kitchen with a bottle of wine.

Alicia pulled away from the hug, "You know we missed you Jack but I especially missed the pies. Did Eric make any?"

"Hah. I missed you too, _maman_ , and he made at least three. You guys are going home with at least two as well." Jack laughed as his mother looked around.

"Where is that boy at anyway? You better keep tabs on him or else I'll steal him for myself." She said as she shrugged off her jacket.

Jack took her coat and replied, "He's in the kitchen."

Jack and his mother walked into the kitchen to see Bitty chatting animatedly to Bob about something that happened back at Samwell. Bob is nearly in tears while Bitty has a huge smile on his face, his arms moving around wildly. Once Bitty noticed Alicia, he quieted down and went to greet her.

"Mrs. Zimmermann! So good to see you again." Bitty said as she pulled him into an even bigger hug than the one she gave Jack. 

"Please, call me Alicia, Eric. We're practically family." She corrected him, "Besides that, you have any pies lying around? The drive was much too long." Bitty nodded and went over to the fridge in order to grab her something. Jack turned to the oven as it started beeping and set it on the table. As soon as everyone sat down, Alicia with a slice of pie and Bob with a glass of wine, Bitty's heartbeat sped up again. As a precaution he placed his phone on the counter behind him and Jack gave a slight chuckle at that. 

After everyone had finished their first servings of the dinner, Jack cleared his throat in order to get his parent's attention, "This has been a long time coming, but _maman et papa_ , Eric and I are dating and we have been since I graduated."

Alicia and Bob exchanged a look and Bob spoke up, "We kinda already knew that."

"Wait what?!" Jack looked stunned, his eyes ready to bulge out of his head at any minute.

"You do realize that I was the one that told you to 'go after him before it's too late,' right?" Bob deadpanned.

Bitty's stared at all three of the Zimmermann's in amazement and confusion, "I have to say that this certainly went better than I had hoped." He smiled to himself.

Jack raised a finger and turned to his parents again, "You guys _knew_ and didn't say anything?"

"You guys are more obvious than you think. It's a surprise that no one has caught on." Alicia chuckled.

Jack looked dumbfounded, "What?!"

"I knew from the second you can back from running to him. You were so smitten that night, never put your phone down and never stopped smiling. I thought that meant that you two had started to date." Bob shrugged.

Bitty gave a small laugh and raised his glass, "Well, here's to happiness and being confident." He toasted.

"Hear, hear!" Alicia, Bob and Bitty cheered.

Jack started at them for a while and huffed out an exasperated, _"What just happened?"_

* * *

  **2\. Suzanne and Coach Bittle**

It was the 4th of July again, which meant Jack Zimmermann was dying in the heat of Georgia, again. Bitty gave him an 'oh honey' every few minutes as Jack tried to cool himself down by any means necessary. He'd tried laying near at least 3 fans, he went swimming (much to Bitty's enjoyment), and he'd eaten more popsicles than a 5-year-old. The only thing he had come away with was a bright blue tongue and at least 2 changes of clothes. He headed downstairs in a tank top with the American flag printed on it and dark blue shorts.

"Am I American enough yet?" He asked Bitty, who was cooking up a storm with his mother.

Bitty took him in. Jack's shoulders were showing for once, and the shorts did him all sorts of favors... "Dicky, the pie." Suzanne called.

"Oh!" Bitty turned away from Jack and rushed over to the oven where a pie was about to get much too crispy. Jack laughed at Bitty's reaction to seeing him in a tank top and shorts. Jack thought about if Bitty wore shorts and a tank top, but Bitty already wore that ensemble. Was _Jack_ that bad? Probably not, he assured himself but he remembered that he tripped down the stairs at the Haus one time that Bitty wore a pair of short-shorts. Yeah, Jack was that bad. 

"I swear, the boy gets distracted by the smallest things when cooking." Suzanne grinned as she delved into a story about how Bitty got distracted by a bug in the kitchen once and nearly burned the house down. Bitty blushed as his mom told the story, but Jack just laughed.

 

Before Jack knew it, the time had come to tell Bitty's parents. The barbecue had ended an hour or so ago and the fireworks show had just finished. As the Bittle's and Jack were cleaning up and sitting out on the porch, Jack looked at Bitty quizzically to see if he was ready to tell them yet. Bitty shook his head a tiny bit and Jack just kept talking with Mrs. Bittle about what one of the people at church said about _'my baby boy Dicky.'_  Jack laughs at the nickname everytime he hears it and this time is no exception. He throws his head back with laughter as Suzanne continues on about what Bitty did in order to spite them. This boy.

Bitty looked at Jack when his mother told him about the whole church debacle. Jack was enthralled as to what Suzanne was saying, occasionally turning to Coach and going 'Bitty did what?!' whenever Coach would tell Jack something that Bitty thought to keep private. Some of the more embarrassing parts, of course.

Bitty took in the scene and decided he couldn't wait any longer. He saw his (secret) boyfriend and his parents getting along, swapping stories of some of Bitty's not-so-finer moments with laughs echoing off the walls and _man_ , Bitty wanted to stay in the moment forever. 

Bitty interrupted the giggle session and said, "Well I'd hate to stop this party, but Mom and Coach, I need to tell you something." Suzanne and Coach turned to Bitty and gave him their full attention and Jack did as well, raising an eyebrow. Bitty gave him another short shake of his head to assure him that he could handle it. He could do this. It was just one big thing that his parents had no idea was going on. _He could do this._

He took in a deep breath and began, "I'm gay and I know that you've probably been expecting this ever since I was younger but I feel like now is the right time. Not that there was ever the wrong time. I'm just more confident than I was earlier and now I have friends that care about me and support me and love me and aren't rude and don't shove me into supply closets and... I'm rambling, aren't I?" Bitty drew in a shaky breath and gave a slight laugh.

Suzanne and Coach looked at each other, then back to Bitty. Coach spoke up, "We're glad to hear it, son. We will always support you no matter who you love."

Bitty's eyes started to tear up as his mother began to speak as well, "Is there anyone you're seeing right now?" She looked pointedly at Jack.

Jack took Bitty's hand and beamed, "Bits and I have been dating since I graduated last year and we're ridiculously happy."

"It's about damn time." Coach rolled his eyes, "You'd better treat him right Zimmermann. I don't care if you're some big shot hockey player or that your dad is. If you disrespect him in any way, I'll step in."

Jack's eyes went wide and he cleared his throat, "I don't plan on doing anything to harm Bitty. You guys won't have to worry."

Suzanne turned to Bitty, "And just because we love both of you guys, Dicky, treat him right as well." 

"Alright alright. I'm going inside before this gets any worse." Bitty stood up with Jack following close behind him.

"Zimmermann, you're still in the guest room!" Coach called.

Jack laughed a full and happy laugh and yelled, "Yes sir!"

After the boys had gone back inside, Suzanne turned to her husband and whispered, "Did they really think we didn't know?"

* * *

  **3\. Shitty**

Jack didn't mean for it to happen. Shitty was supposed to find out with the rest of the team. Shitty wasn't supposed to show up at Jack's doorstep at 9 am and demand to be let in because  _'Jack Zimmermann it's been more than two weeks since I've seen that beautiful face and I'll be damned if you don't let me in.'_  Jack begrudgingly let him in, only for the sake of the neighbors. But here's the thing, Bitty was at Jack's apartment for the weekend, Bitty was taking a shower and Bitty was going to be done in any minute. And Jack, **Jack was screwed.**

With Shitty standing in his doorway, Jack Zimmermann let himself be pulled into a hug. As Shitty hugged him as tight as humanly possible, Jack saw Bitty exit the bathroom. Jack saw Bitty walk out in a towel, see Jack hugging Shitty, and run as fast away as he could thereby dropping the towel. Shitty must have felt Jack tense up because he pulled away from the hug.

"What's wrong, brah?" Shitty asked with sincere concern on his face.

Jack tried to play it off, "Oh nothing. You just surprised me, that's all."

"No, I know that face. That's the _'oh shit'_ face not the surprised face." Shitty tsked, "So I ask again, what's wrong? Remember, you can't lie to me, Jacques."

"Shits, for what I'm hoping is the last time, my given name, given to me by my parents, is Jack. Not Jacques." Jack sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "And just... I have someone over right now."

Shitty made a noise in his throat and started to yell, "YOU HAVE SOMEONE OVER HERE RIGHT NOW. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? WHO ARE THEY?!"

"Oh um... it's someone you know." Jack blushed, not wanting to tell Shitty right now because Bitty was just in a towel, for heaven's sake.

"Jack I swear if you're sleeping with Lardo I'm going to fucking kill you." Shitty threatened and Jack shook his head quickly, "Who's the lucky lady that's captured young Jack's heart then?" Shitty looked around Jack's apartment for any clues.

Jack blushed harder and said quite bluntly, "It's not a girl, Shits." 

Shitty turned his neck so fast that it cracked, "IT'S NOT A GIRL? You mean you're gay?"

"Something like that."

"MY BEST BRO IS GAY AND I DIDN'T KNOW? Man, I've been so heteronormative." Shitty shook his head and then straightened, "WAIT A MOTHERFUCKING SECOND. WHO IS HE?"

Jack turned towards the kitchen, "Follow me, I want to see if you can put it together." Jack steered Shitty to the kitchen and flicked on the lights, Jack gestured around the room and said, "Tell me who they are just from what's in the kitchen."

Shitty glanced at Jack, still not believing that his best friend was with a guy and he'd never told him. Shitty walked around the kitchen, looking through the fridge, looking on counters until he turned back towards Jack, "I know who they are."

Jack motioned for him to explain and so Shitty did, "You have at least 3 pies in the fridge, pretty new because they aren't even cold. You have a bunch of post-it notes from a mysterious 'B.' And to top it all off, you have a ceramic bunny sitting on your counter. Kinda looks like Bits' Señor Bun, no?"

Jack gave a laugh and replied, "You got me, Shits. Bittle and I are dating."

Shitty inhaled, "WAIT WHAT? I WAS JUST SPEWING A BUNCH OF SHIT BUT **HOLY SHIT** JACK. BITS, GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE." Shitty yelled from the kitchen doorway. Bitty poked his head from the bathroom door.

"Oh, hey Shitty." He tried to act nonchalant with only a towel wrapped around his waist. 

"He knows." Jack laughed at how ridiculously small _(and cute)_ Bitty looked.

"Hell yeah I know. My two best brahs are dating!" Shitty nearly yelled from excitement, "DEETS. How long has it been?"

"Since we graduated." Jack answered, wrapping an arm around Bitty, with Bitty doing the same.

Shitty screamed, "HOLY SHIT. You guys have been dating for a year?! AND NO ONE KNOWS?"

"Well we told our parents, but you're the first one of our friends to know." Bitty informs him, arm still wet, still wrapped around Jack.

Shitty went full heart-eyes at that moment, "I'M SO PROUD OF YOU TWO." He yelled as he pulled them both into a hug.

"Thanks, Shits." Jack laughed into the hug and laughed again when Shitty kissed their cheeks.

"BITTY, I NEED DEETS. Is his ass really as great as I say it is?" Shitty asked in a mock-serious tone.

"Aaand that's my cue to leave." Jack gave Bitty a kiss on the cheek and Shitty a side-hug as he sprinted out before he heard _more_ of what Shitty thought of his ass.

* * *

**4\. Samwell Men's Hockey**

Bitty smiled up at the stands where Jack and Shitty were sitting. Shitty was just looking in between them, still not believing that they were actually together. Yeah, it had been a few weeks since Jack and Bitty told him but Shitty still could not believe it. 'My two best brahs!' he would always say, after planting a sloppy kiss on their cheeks.

As Bitty skated back on the ice, Shitty gave Bitty a wink and Jack gave a thumbs up and he grinned even more. Ransom clapped Bitty on the shoulder and reminded him of the play. Bitty nodded. They had done the play a hundred times before, so he was comfortable enough to see it through. The only thing he was worried about was #29 on the other team. Bitty's a small guy so anyone over 6 feet scares him, but this guy scares _Holster._ Holster, the 6'4'' guy that could take anyone down. If the guy scares Holster, he was a thing of Bitty's absolute worst nightmares.

The game had start up again and as Bitty skated around the ice, #29 skated towards him but before Bitty could move, #29 pushed him against the boards. _Hard_. It was so forceful that Bitty heard a pop come from his shoulder as he was pushed harder and harder into the boards. Bitty heard a whistle blow and #29 was pulled away from Bitty by Holster. Bitty couldn't focus, all he could think was how much his shoulder hurt and _'don't touch me, don't touch me, don't touch me.'_ He heard commotion around him as Ransom looked over Bitty.

"His shoulder looks like it got separated. Not serious enough for surgery but it still needs to get checked out." Ransom 'diagnosed' as the doctors waved them over. Ransom took Bitty's good side and swung his arm over his shoulder and skated him off the ice. Once Bitty was fully off the ice, his vision started to get blurry but that didn't mean that he didn't see Ransom and Holster pull off their gloves and skate towards #29.

Bitty woke up with his arm in a sling and a cold pack pressed up against his skin. He was surrounded by the rest of the hockey team in the locker room, with everyone still sweaty and disgusting. They fussed over him, with Chowder trying and trying to give let them give Bitty some space. Bitty saw Shitty tell Lardo something, then run out of the room. Bitty glimpsed around the room to try and find Jack, but to no avail. Bitty gave a faint smile at Dex and Nursey, who were arguing about something totally off topic, Bitty smiled at Ransom and Holster who were sporting eyes that were starting to blacken. Ransom grinned at Bitty with his bloodied teeth and Bitty rolled his eyes. These boys were going to be the death of him.

Shitty ran back and winked at Bitty again. Jack ran in behind Shitty with his eyes wide and worried, "Bits." He said quietly. The rest of the team parted in order for Jack to get to Bitty. Once Bitty was right next to him, Jack leaned down and gave him a kiss. A collective gasp could be heard from everyone in the room. Well, everyone except Shitty, who just stood there with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. 

After Jack pulled away, Bitty swatted him with his good arm, "Jack Laurent Zimmermann, why would you do that?"

Ransom piped up, "Yeah, why _would_ you do that?" Jack turned to see the rest of the team with concern and confusion because Jack just kissed Bitty in the middle of the locker room. 

Bitty let out a breath and glared jokingly at Jack, "Well we were going to tell you this in a few days, but I guess now works. Jack and I are dating and we have been since Jack's graduation." Jack beamed down at Bitty and then looked to the team. Chowder was crying, Shitty, unsurprisingly, was as well. Once everyone gave their congratulations and everything quieted down, Ransom and Holster exchanged a knowing smirk. Jack saw it coming from a mile away.

"I think that I speak for everyone when I ask, is his ass really that great, Bitty?" Holster demanded, with a mock-serious tone.

Jack covered his face in his hands, "Why is that the first thing everyone asks?" He groaned as Bitty patted his back and mouthed a _'yes'_ to Holster.

* * *

**5\. Providence Falconers**

 Jack was going to be alright, George had coached him on what to say and how to do it. He's talked with Bitty about it the night before. He talked to his parents about it. He'd gotten so much advice and praise for doing this he felt as if he was going to explode just because of how happy that made him. He fixed his posture as he stepped inside to where the guys were setting up for a team meeting. 

"Jack!" Tater smiled and patted the seat next to him, "I hear you have big news today. You can whisper to me what it is. I will not tell any body."

"Yeah I do have some news, but you'll just have to wait, right Tater?" Jack asked.

"If I wait, can I get pie?"

"Of course." Jack grinned as the meeting started.

After Marty, Thirdy and Guy stood up and read off some news and announcements, it was Jack's turn. His heart was hammering in his chest and his hands were shaking a little bit, but then he thought of warm, Georgia days, a maple pie and a certain blond baker, and he was calmer. With wobbly knees, he stood up in front of everyone and took a deep breath.

"So the news that I'm sharing is that I'm gay and that I have a boyfriend." Jack promptly sat back down. The Falconers looked at him with confusion, Tater especially.

"You have boyfriend?" Tater asked.

"Yeah, he's a friend from Samwell. We played on the team together, he comes around here nearly every other weekend. Eric." Jack tried to refresh their memories, which turned into a bit of rambling.

"Oh Bitty!" Snowy smiled, "He's a nice guy, Zimmermann. But he's also a small guy so don't break him." 

Tater turned toward Jack, "Is he girlfriend that made pie for me?" 

"Hah, yes. He makes everyone pies when he comes. I can bring you all some tomorrow." Jack offered, surprised that they were all taking it so well. Tater nodded enthusiastically at the mention of pie.

"Well we're just glad to hear that you've got someone Zimmermann. How long have you been dating?" Marty asked.

"A year, give or take, but we're really happy."

"Bring him over here when he visits. I want to talk to him about his intentions." Guy spoke up.

Jack was shocked, "Um, I'm sure that he'd be happy to, but he's already gotten that talk from both of our parents. I don't think he need a 6 foot former hockey player telling him that." Jack laughed.

"Just looking out for you, man." Guy shrugged.

"Against 5'6'' bakers." Jack laughed, "Perfect."

And with that open acceptance, Jack's anxieties started to melt away and be replaced with a newer and a little bit more courageous Jack Zimmermann. 

Now to tell the world.

* * *

  **+1. The NHL**

Bitty beamed down at Jack from the private box he was in with Bob and Alicia, Jack pointed up to them and grinned. The game had come to an end, Falconers winning 3-2 against a pretty tough team. Bitty headed down to the post-game press conference that was set up with Bob and Alicia, his heart hammering in his chest. He was nervous, of course, because he knew that some reporter would ask about Jack's girlfriend, as they always did. But Bitty knew it for sure this time because Jack was wearing his engagement ring that Bitty had given him the night before. Some of them had picked up on it, if the chattering and tweets were anything to go by.

Bitty scrolled down his timeline. One tweet read, "Jack Zimmermann steps out on the ice with a ring on THAT finger. Coincidence, or is he taken for good? We'll see at the post-game interview tonight at 9/8c on ESPN." Bitty showed it to Bob and Alicia, Alicia scoffed and Bob started to chuckle.

"They really can't let him out of the spotlight, can they?" Bob asked, eyes crinkling.

"They'd better. He's my fiance." Bitty laughed and turned his phone off as he saw the Falconers file into their seats in order for the conference to begin.

Thirdy tapped on the microphone, "We'll be up and rolling in a few short moments." Jack looked over at his parents and Bitty and winked. This boy, Bitty's heart swelled up. Thirdy nodded to the first reporter who asked a question related to the game. The whole team talked about everything good and bad that had happened during the game. A few more reporters asked questions towards players, which went on for a few minutes. When one reporter stood up, Bitty knew the question would be for Jack. They'd all shown restraint, Falconers and reporters alike, but no one could wait any longer.

"This is for Jack," He began and Jack sat up, "A lot of us have noticed that you seem to be wearing a ring on your left hand. Any news in the romance department?"

Jack took in a deep breath and started, "Well, yes. I know I keep very private about my personal life, and for good reasons, but last night I got engaged." The room was set abuzz at that, and the Falconers all turned to Jack.

"Who's the lucky lady?" Another reporter asked, notebook at the ready

Jack gave a small laugh, "The lucky 'lady'" Jack said with air quotes, "is my **boyfriend** of two-and-a-half years, Eric Bittle." And the room was even more electric than before, photographers catching a glimpse of Jack smiling and reporters trying to ask more and more questions.

Georgia went up to the microphone and announced, "I'm afraid that that is all the time we have today. Thank you for your patience." And with that, the team was escorted out and Bitty smiled with tears streaming down his face. _Jack had done it,_ they were out.

Jack ran up to Bitty and hugged him close, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to lie about this anymore."

Bitty squeezed Jack as tight as he could as Jack kissed his head, "It's okay, Jack. I've wanted this for a while and I know you have too."

Bitty and Jack felt two more bodies being pressed up in a hug against them, "Hey, we wanted it too!" Bob joked.

"My little boy all grown up! No longer in need of his parents. His dear parents!" Alicia fake-cried.

Jack gave a laugh and pushed away from them, "Ah yes, my dear parents that have gotten stoned with my best friend."

Bob swatted his arm, "That was one time!" Jack narrowed his eyes, "Alright, point taken."

Bitty laughed as he hugged Jack again, "This is the family I'm marrying into..."

"I know exactly how you feel, Eric." Alicia smiled at him.

Jack kissed him again and took his hand. Bitty rubbed his thumb on the engagement ring and smiled. 

He was such a sap, but Jack loved it. Jack loved him and Bitty loved Jack.

They were disgustingly in love.

And they both loved it.

**Author's Note:**

> ugh this took too long to write, but let me know what you thought!!


End file.
